SoCal Harbors To Prep For Potential Tsunami Threat

ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 30: Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons looks to pass against the Green Bay Packers at Georgia Dome on October 30, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — Five California harbors – including three here in the Southland – are preparing for future tsunamis under a new state project that arms them with maps that identify potential problem areas.

KNX 1070’s Jan Stevens reports officials will use the maps to take into account tsunamis of different strengths and sources, allowing harbor managers to draw up emergency plans to get vessels to safety.

SoCal Harbors To Prep For Potential Tsunami Threat

Officials with the California Geological Survey along with the state Office of Emergency Services announced Friday the list of participating harbors, including Los Angeles/Long Beach, Ventura, San Diego, Santa Cruz and Crescent City.

Future plans could also expand the mapping to over 100 marinas and harbors statewide, the Associated Press reported.

A map of “tsunami zones” along the California coast also shows a potential tsunami threat could extend as far inland as portions of Costa Mesa, Rancho Los Alamitos, and the Los Angeles River in Long Beach.

Kevin Miller with the California Office of Emergency Services said individuals can also take steps to prepare for a tsunami event.

“People can walk from the coast out of the zone to safety, triggering that muscle memory when an event occurs,” Miller said. “Having done it in the past, people can feel better that they know what to do and they don’t have to think about it as much, having done it before.”

The announcement comes days ahead of Tsunami Preparedness Week, which spans from March 23-29 and coincides with the 50th anniversary of the 1964 Alaska earthquake, in which 12 people were killed after a magnitude-9.2 quake in Alaska triggered tsunami waves.